The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law

Edited by Nita Farahany

Provides a unique, trans-disciplinary approach to understanding behavioral sciences and criminal law with a collection of essays written by behavioral geneticists, neuroscientists, philosophers, policymakers, and legal scholars

Tackles a multifaceted array of genetic and neurological issues and how they are addressed within criminal law

Edited by an experienced scholar of both criminal law and behavioral sciences

The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law

Edited by Nita Farahany

Description

New discoveries from neuroscience and behavioral genetics are besieging criminal law. Novel scientific perspectives on criminal behavior could transform the criminal justice system and yet are being introduced in an ad hoc and often ill-conceived manner. Bringing together experts across multiple disciplines, including geneticists, neuroscientists, philosophers, policymakers, and legal scholars, The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law is a comprehensive collection of essays that address the emerging science from behavioral genetics and neuroscience and its developing impact on the criminal justice system. The essays survey how the science is and will likely be used in criminal law and the policy and the ethical issues that arise from its use for criminal law and for society.

The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law

Edited by Nita Farahany

Author Information

Nita Farahany is associate professor of law and an associate professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University Law School. Her teaching and research areas of expertise are law and biology (behavioral genetics, genetics, neuroscience, psychiatry), and law and philosophy (wrongfulness, responsibility and punishment theory).

Owen D. Jones, J.D., Professor of Law and Professor of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University

Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University

Stephen J. Morse, Ed.M., J.D., Ph.D., Ferdinand Wakeman Hubbell Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology and Law in Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania

D.H. Kaye, M.A., J.D., Regents' Professor and Fellow, Center for the Study of Law, Science and Technology, Arizona State University

Adrian Raine, D.Phil., Robert G. Wright Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California

Edgar Garcia-Rill, Ph.D., Director for the Center for Translational Neuroscience, research arm of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neuroscience Institute & Professor in the Department of Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Karen Rothenberg, M.P.A., J.D., Dean and Marjorie Cook Professor of Law, University of Maryland School of Law

Alice Wang, J.D., Staff Attorney, Appellate Division, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia

The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law

Edited by Nita Farahany

Reviews and Awards

"Recent developments in behavioral genetics have tremendous potential for understanding crime; yet they also create great dangers of abuse in criminal trials as well as policies. These profound and important issues are discussed in depth from various disciplinary perspectives by the prominent and learned contributors to this well-organized and accessible volume. It should be read by anyone interested in where our legal system is headed." --Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Dartmouth College, Co-director, MacArthur Law and Neuroscience Project